The Utter Ridiculousness of Biden’s Latest Kabul Evacuation Effort

 

There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

First of all,  have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

We all know Biden  has severe dementia and perhaps is certifiably insane, so why didn’t the Joint Chiefs have a plan ready to go for his approval once  the pressure to evacuate became too great and Biden  had to cave? Which of course he did.

The Air Force has 52 C-5’s available that can each handle 270 troops. Even if you took only  20 of those that is 5,400 passengers a trip.

I know it might take some diplomacy but the New Delhi airport is only 642 miles from Kabul and it would only take to fly over Pakistan to get there in about an hour-an-a-half round trip.  If you figure those 20 c-5’s could each make at least five trips in a day easy, they could haul out over 25,000 people.  Presently I think we have left behind over 15,000 people. So we should be able to get out everyone in one day. The point is to get the people out; you can figure out where they go from there afterward.

Of course, the real problem is securing the airport and the path to the airport. That is where the military comes in with its Warthogs, Helo gunships, and troops. But this is what they have trained for. Get it done.

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  1. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Bagram has two runways, the airport we are defending now has one runway. Bagram was fortified. Some allied, and American refugees could have been flown out of Bagram as well as flying A-10’s, and Apache helicopters to slow down the the Taliban before they could have taken Kabul. Air strikes on weapons left behind could also have come come from Bagram. Ground support troops could have been flown into Bagram as well.

    There are a lot of questions that should be asked and answered concerning the lack of planning in this debacle.

    • #1
  2. DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) Coolidge
    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!)
    @DonG

    Unsk: The point is to get the people out; you can figure out where they go from there afterwards. 

    I don’t think you understand the objective of Operation Enduring Humiliation.

    • #2
  3. Rōnin Coolidge
    Rōnin
    @Ronin

    Unsk:

    There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

    First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    Yes they have.  There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world.  And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised.  I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans.  The questions is, why didn’t they use them.  I now believe that they were told not to.  Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.  

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop. 

    • #3
  4. Unsk Member
    Unsk
    @Unsk

    DonG:

    I don’t think you understand the objective of Operation Enduring Humiliation.

    I have no doubt that there are many within and outside  this administration including Senile Traitor Joe who want an Operation Enduring Humiliation, but when you have lost CNN, or at least part of it, this current course may not work out for you so well particularly now that you have assured the American People  that you will get all Americans out of harm’s way. So the enduring humiliation thingy may latch on a little bit more in an enduring way to Senile Traitor Joe and those Progressives/Rinos that try to defend his Afghan actions that might be comfortable for their re-election chances.  

    • #4
  5. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Unsk:

    There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

    First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    Yes they have. There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world. And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised. I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans. The questions is, why didn’t they use them. I now believe that they were told not to. Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

    Interesting.  At what grade do you think these conversations are taking place?

    • #5
  6. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Why not just use a couple of C-17’s out of Kuwait, or even from a stateside base? How many people can you fit in the belly? 

    Hell, you could even fly in a couple of tanks to help secure the runway, filler up, and be gone in an hour. 

    This has nothing to do with capability, only will. 

    • #6
  7. Rōnin Coolidge
    Rōnin
    @Ronin

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Unsk:

    There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

    First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    Yes they have. There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world. And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised. I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans. The questions is, why didn’t they use them. I now believe that they were told not to. Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

    Interesting. At what grade do you think these conversations are taking place?

    I would not want to say specifically, but I understand the more energetic exchanges take place at the NCO clubs between the more senior members, probably fueled by adult beverages.  It’s my understanding that the O-clubs are quiet, real quiet.

    • #7
  8. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    It fits with this.

    • #8
  9. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    What about all the military gear left behind that now the Taliban has? I don’t recall seeing this big of a mess in my lifetime.

    • #9
  10. James Salerno Inactive
    James Salerno
    @JamesSalerno

    America Last foreign policy.

    • #10
  11. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Front Seat Cat (View Comment):

    What about all the military gear left behind that now the Taliban has? I don’t recall seeing this big of a mess in my lifetime.

    There is a story floating around that Biden closed Bagram to prevent military resupplying of troops, and equipment. That would make it impossible to send surplus equipment to Bagram so it could be airlifted back to the US, or any other allied country. It has hampered rescue efforts.

    • #11
  12. Unsk Member
    Unsk
    @Unsk

    Vince: Why not just use a couple of C-17’s out of Kuwait, or even from a stateside base? How many people can you fit in the belly? 

    I was just throwing out a    what if for point of argument. There has to thousands of better ideas, including yours, but why have they not been used?

    Ronin:

    “Yes they have.  There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world.  And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised.  I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans.  The questions is, why didn’t they use them.  I now believe that they were told not to.  Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.  

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop. “

     Great  comment. However,  in the Trump administration there was rank insubordination all over the place. Almost every other day there was a story of some bureaucrat or military leader submarining a Trump policy.   So why have all these guys obeyed these clearly treasonous orders, when they didn’t obey the ” America First “orders in the Trump Administration? 

    And where are all the resignations? How could someone not be red-hot angry over the  heinous betrayal of so many people one has worked with which I am sure is the case for many in Afghanistan?

    • #12
  13. Some Call Me ...Tim Coolidge
    Some Call Me ...Tim
    @SomeCallMeTim

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Unsk:

    There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

    First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    Yes they have. There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world. And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised. I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans. The questions is, why didn’t they use them. I now believe that they were told not to. Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

    If possible, can you expand on the last paragraph of your post?

    Edit:  Just read the follow on comments which somewhat answered the question. But would still like to hear your thoughts on this.

    • #13
  14. Some Call Me ...Tim Coolidge
    Some Call Me ...Tim
    @SomeCallMeTim

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Unsk:

    There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

    First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    Yes they have. There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world. And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised. I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans. The questions is, why didn’t they use them. I now believe that they were told not to. Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

    Interesting. At what grade do you think these conversations are taking place?

    I won’t want to say specifically, but I understand the more energetic exchanges take place at the NCO clubs between the more senior members, probably fueled by adult beverages. It’s my understanding that the O-clubs are quiet, real quiet.

    From my experience, Marines are always bitching about something, so you normally don’t need to be concerned. 

    When they stop bitching, that is when you really need to be concerned, because the sh1+ is going to hit the fan. 

    • #14
  15. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    I’m surprised Biden hasn’t set up TSA security checkpoints to screen passengers.

    Actually, he should . . .

    • #15
  16. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    Welcome aboard American flight xxxx to Atlanta and Tallahassee by way of Kabul…. In the event of anti-aircraft fire the captain will put on the seat belt sign….

    • #16
  17. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    I certainly don’t want to be critical of the mentally impaired but isn’t gathering resources for evacuation the kind if thing you do before you blow up the status quo and lose control of airbase?  The scope of this fiasco is mind-blowing.

    • #17
  18. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Unsk: First of all,  have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    I can’t help thinking that whatever is afflicting Biden is afflicting the upper echelon of the U.S. military as well.

    • #18
  19. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Some Call Me …Tim (View Comment):
    When they stop bitching, that is when you really need to be concerned, because the sh1+ is going to hit the fan. 

    Is this where we are? Please say this is where we are. 

    • #19
  20. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    MarciN (View Comment):

    Unsk: First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    I can’t help thinking that whatever is afflicting Biden is afflicting the upper echelon of the U.S. military as well.

    Remember the first and most important thing afflicting Joe Biden and all the others is moral depravity, not dementia or incompetence.

    • #20
  21. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Flicker (View Comment):

    MarciN (View Comment):

    Unsk: First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    I can’t help thinking that whatever is afflicting Biden is afflicting the upper echelon of the U.S. military as well.

    Remember the first and most important thing afflicting Joe Biden and all the others is moral depravity, not dementia or incompetence.

    Yes! Exactly!!

    • #21
  22. James Salerno Inactive
    James Salerno
    @JamesSalerno

    MarciN (View Comment):

    Unsk: First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    I can’t help thinking that whatever is afflicting Biden is afflicting the upper echelon of the U.S. military as well.

    • #22
  23. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    I’m having so much trouble with the language being used to describe this: “fiasco,” “debacle.”

    This week’s events in Afghanistan seem so diabolical and malevolent to me. Intentional.

    “Fiasco” and “debacle” make it sound like it’s the result of screwups by disorganized incompetent people. Like the endless stories on M.A.S.H. What’s happening in Afghanistan seems like a coordinated effort to destroy the Republicans.

    The Democrats rule everything. They control the mainstream media. The same media that is covering this as one of five stories on their list right now. If this had been twenty-five years ago, this horrific story would have dominated the news, all regular programming would have been cancelled for the duration, and the news anchors would be falling asleep on their television desk at three in the morning.

    They are ignoring this story because it is Bush’s war as far as they are concerned. They are giving it a big yawn. They are happy to see it end this way. It proves them right. They are already writing next year’s online history books.

    How arrogant and cocky can the Democrats be than to have Democratic Party President Biden consulting with Putin on how to screw the American people, the American military, and the Afghan army? Biden consorting with Putin so soon after he tried to impeach Trump for talking to the Ukraine president? The Democrats fear no one.

    I’m hearing Lincoln and Mark and Matthew today:

    In the Gospel of Mark 3:25, Jesus states, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” That is in response to the scribes’ claim that “by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.” In the Gospel of Matthew 12:25, “Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto him, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (King James Version).

    • #23
  24. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    And by the way, a year from now, or two, when the really smart people have resigned from our military because of this, Biden will fill up the ranks with thousands of new recruits from among the new refugees from all the countries Biden has screwed up, especially Central and South America.

    He is remaking the U.S. military.

    It’s the same reason the Democrats don’t care about the police force resignations. Those police officers can be so easily replaced.

    I read a great book years ago called ChinAmerica. One point the author Handel Jones, who had been doing business in China for decades, made was that Americans can’t really relate to the Chinese government’s attitude toward human beings. The CCP looks out at China and see millions of cheap laborers. There is no respect for people the way there is in the United States.

    Well, that’s the situation Biden has created with this immigration surge from Afghanistan and Central and South America. Millions of people who will do anything for a paycheck. All at his command.

    • #24
  25. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Stad (View Comment):

    I’m surprised Biden hasn’t set up TSA security checkpoints to screen passengers.

    Actually, he should . . .

    In Bagram, there *was* a TSA security checkpoint.

    • #25
  26. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Stad (View Comment):

    I’m surprised Biden hasn’t set up TSA security checkpoints to screen passengers.

    Actually, he should . . .

    I’m told he’s expecting those evacuated to pay up for the cost of a ticket home. 

    • #26
  27. Rōnin Coolidge
    Rōnin
    @Ronin

    Some Call Me …Tim (View Comment):

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Unsk:

    There is now talk of the Biden Administration asking American Airlines to help out with the Kabul evacuation effort. Maybe that is necessary, but don’t you just have to ask “what the Hell”?

    First of all, have the Joint Chiefs ever heard of the term “contingency planning”?

    Yes they have. There are thousands of U.S. military contingency plans, on multiple scenarios, for any situation anywhere in the world. And, these plans are constantly updated and exercised. I know this because I retired as a C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Planner and helped to build, write, exercise and execute said contingency plans. The JCS, and their subordinate commanders, are well aware they have contingency plans. The questions is, why didn’t they use them. I now believe that they were told not to. Worst still, no one at the JCS pushed back.

    I’m hearing through the jungle drums that back at the home barracks there are some heated conversations taking place, border lining on insubordination, but everyone seems to be going about their duties, keeping an eye on the news, and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

    If possible, can you expand on the last paragraph of your post?

    Edit: Just read the follow on comments which somewhat answered the question. But would still like to hear your thoughts on this.

    I’ll try to sum it up as best as I can, but these are my impressions of what I took away after conversations between myself and a very few active duty and DoD civil service personnel over the past two to three days.  It comes down to choses:

    if you don’t have a lot of time in service, and no dependents, you may be considering getting out when your term of service ends – and you may be incline to be a little more vocal about that now given the current circumstances.  If on the other hand, you have some time in – with dependents – but not enough time to retire, leaving at the end of your current term of service may not be an option considering the current situation in the U.S. economy and the fact that you have mouths to feed.  So there is some tension there.  If you can retire, and you think there is nothing else you can offer, then most likely you will retire, but not feeling real good about it.

    Also, there is some uncertainty about senior leadership and the current news cycle is not helping that, nor apparently is senior leadership.  When I say “border lining on insubordination,” what I mean is a high spirited frank conversation took place where a better choose of wording would have been preferred.  Good NCOs and Officers know how to deal with that constructively.  It’s the woke thin-skinned careerist crowd you got to watch out for, which has always been the case whether woke or not.

    • #27
  28. Some Call Me ...Tim Coolidge
    Some Call Me ...Tim
    @SomeCallMeTim

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    Some Call Me …Tim (View Comment):

    Rōnin (View Comment):

    If possible, can you expand on the last paragraph of your post?

    Edit: Just read the follow on comments which somewhat answered the question. But would still like to hear your thoughts on this.

    I’ll try to sum it up as best as I can, but these are my impressions of what I took away after conversations between myself and a very few active duty and DoD civil service personnel over the past two to three days. It comes down to choses:

    if you don’t have a lot of time in service, and no dependents, you may be considering getting out when your term of service ends – and you may be incline to be a little more vocal about that now given the current circumstances. If on the other hand, you have some time in – with dependents – but not enough time to retire, leaving at the end of your current term of service may not be an option considering the current situation in the U.S. economy and the fact that you have mouths to feed. So there is some tension there. If you can retire, and you think there is nothing else you can offer, then most likely you will retire, but not feeling real good about it.

    Also, there is some uncertainty about senior leadership and the current news cycle is not helping that, nor apparently is senior leadership. When I say “border lining on insubordination,” what I mean is a high spirited frank conversation took place where a better choose of wording would have been preferred. Good NCOs and Officers know how to deal with that constructively. It’s the woke thin-skinned careerist crowd you got to watch out for, which has always been the case whether woke or not.

    Thank you for the additional info.  Fortunately during my active duty time, individual bad commanders produced situations like this, not the service chief or the institution.   If it’s the former, you can wait it out; if it’s the latter, you really can’t (plus it makes you doubt the value of your individual service). 

    • #28
  29. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Isn’t it ironic that the SEALS on the Bin Laden mission had the wherewithall to destroy a damaged helicopter during a hectic raid so it wouldn’t fall into enemy hands, yet during the Afghanistan withdrawal, we couldn’t do an orderly and planned destruction ahead of time for the same reason.  Makes you wonder . . .

    • #29
  30. DonG (2+2=5. Say it!) Coolidge
    DonG (2+2=5. Say it!)
    @DonG

    Unsk (View Comment):

    DonG:

    I don’t think you understand the objective of Operation Enduring Humiliation.

    I have no doubt that there are many within and outside this administration including Senile Traitor Joe who want an Operation Enduring Humiliation, but when you have lost CNN, or at least part of it, this current course may not work out for you so well particularly now that you have assured the American People that you will get all Americans out of harm’s way. So the enduring humiliation thingy may latch on a little bit more in an enduring way to Senile Traitor Joe and those Progressives/Rinos that try to defend his Afghan actions that might be comfortable for their re-election chances.

    I assume it is all part of the deal struck by Biden.  The people running the DNC would make him their candidate and get him elected and he would let them run the country.  He would get his lifelong dream of being president and he is too dumb to know he is a disaster–dumb and happy with a free ice cream cone every day.  When they are done with Joe, they will put the vice-puppet into his position.  She is smart enough to know to protect herself from bad things, but ambitious enough to take position. 

    • #30
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